Australian Serpents: The Brown Snakes Chapter

Australia's unique topography and varied seasons makes it a haven to some of the world's most fascinating creatures, snakes in particular. These slithering reptiles are often a subject of fear and misconception. To others, snakes come as a fascinating creature, full of mystery and secrets waiting to be uncovered. Australia hosts hundreds of snake species, and today this article will focus on the Brown Snakes, which demands respect and caution when encountered.

Australian Brown Snakes 1: Eastern Brown Snake

Brown snakes have a nature of being easily alarmed, and may strike when approached or threatened. Half of its bite contain venom, and minimal effects are determined at the spot where its fangs have sunk. One of the brown snake's venom effects is sudden, early collapse of the victim. Other clinical signs include abdominal pain, breathing and swallowing difficulty, convulsions, ptosis, hemolysis, hypotension from depression of myocardial contractility, renal failure.

The Eastern Brown Snake is the most toxic member of the genus and second of the most toxic land snake in the world (The Inland Taipan sits in the first place, and also found in Australia).

Australian Brown Snakes 2: King Brown Snake a.k.a Mulga Snake

Mulga snakes are large venomous snakes growing from 2.5 metres to 3 metres in length. Depending on its areal extent, mulga snakes can be of a light brown contrast in the desert to a dark brown-blackish color in the cooler parts of Queensland, South Australia, and New South Wales. Mulga snakes are robust with a wide head and smooth snout. They have the highest yield of all Australian venomous snakes.

Australian Brown Snakes 3: Taipan

Taipans can grow 6½ to 11 feet long (2 to 3.6 meters). They are found mostly along the non-desert areas of north and north-east Australia (from Brisbane stretching to Darwin). Taipans are timid, large, and slender snake. They may be colored any shade of brown and they have a rectangular head and red eye.

Taipan's venom output is high and causes neurotoxicity, coagulopathy, and rhabdomyolysis. Paralysis is difficult to reverse unless treated early. Without treatment, one taipan's good bite would mean death to its victims.

Australian Brown Snakes 4: Austrelaps (Lowland Copperhead)

The Lowland Copperhead nests in the drier parts of Tasmania, also south-west Tasmania. Lowland copperheads in mainland Australia dwells in the far south-eastern corner of South Australia and over much of southern Victoria. Austrelaps produce 15-30 live young. The young are independent right after birth and equipped with venom, which is potent enough to be considered dangerous to humans.

Australian copperheads are medium in size (about 4.5 to 5.5 ft) and are moderately built. Their skin color varies from a coppery mid-brown to yellowish, reddish, grey or even black (depending on individual snakes).

Brown snakes, like most reptiles, will attack when threatened, and not for the sake of showing supremacy of their unique characteristic and design. Therefore, an encounter with these creatures needs a lot of caution, information, and respect.